Holder for closures, such as lids, sashes, doors, and the like



April 2, 1929. B. coRNwELL HOLDER FR CLOSURES, SUCH AS LDS, SASHES,DOORS, AND THE LIKE Filed May 25. 1927 Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,707,511 PATENT OFFICE.

LIONEL IB. CORNWELL, OF POTTSV'ILLE, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR TO J. W. &W. L. WOOLF, A COPARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF JOHN W. WOOLF AND WILLIAM L.

wooLr, or NEW Yonx, N. Y.

HOLDER FOR CLOSURES, SUCH AS LIDS, SASHES, DOORS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed May 25,

y My invention relates to a holder for closures, such as lids, sashes,doors and the hke; wherein the closure is movably associated with itscooperating structure, and which may or may not be hingedly attachedthereto by means independent of the holder.

An object of the invention is to provide a holder which will positivelylimit the movement of the closure outwardly with respect to itscooperating structure and maintain it in outward or open position, andwhich is semi-automatic and positive in its locking and releasingaction; and such a holder which is of a simple construction and readilyadapted to economical production.-

Another and a more specific object is to provide such a holder for usein connection with cabinets, such for example as those containingtalking machines; but it is to be understood that the scope ofusefulness of my invention is to be as broad as heretofore pointed out.

Numerous devices of this general character have been heretoforedisclosed and some of these have been used in practice; but none ofthese devices has provided a closure means which is positive in itslocking and unlocking action and which adequately fulfills the demandsfor such an article. Furthermore, many of these devices are cumbersome,and the cost of manufacturing the same is prohibitive for this class ofarticle.

l In my invention I provide an article which is excellently adapted foreconomical production, and which is neat in appearance, small indimensions and light in weight. In general, my device comprises alongitudinal arm which is adapted to be pivotally attached to a closuremeans adapted for cooperative association witha stud attached to thebody carrying the closure means. Upon lifting the closure means, ormoving it outwardly with respect to the associated body member carry-ving the stud, the stud slides outwardly along the arm until it strikesthe positive stop forming a part of the arm, and if then the closuremeans is released, it is held in fixed spaced relation with respect tothe body. This action is positive both as to the stopaction and thelocking action. When it is desired to lower or shut the closure means,the closure is raised slightly from its locked position and thenlowered; this action causing a positive unlocking of the studandallowing it to be 1927. serial N0. 193,968.

returned along the arm, to thereby allow the closure means to returntoits closed position. Alternatively, the arm may be carried on therelatively fixed body, and the stud carried on the closure means as isobvious to those skilled in the art. While the device is primarilyadapted to be used on that form of closure means, commonly termed a lid,and which is adapted to be raised and lowered to its respective open andclosed position, nevertheless it is also adapted to be used on closurespositioned otherwise, as will be more fully pointed out following. It isalso adapted to be used on closure means which 'are not independentlyhingedly connected to an associated body.

My invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter described according to a preferredembodiment thereof. The invention will be more particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the followingspecification and claims taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring to the drawings illustrating the present preferred form of theinvention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a talking machine cabinet,with parts broken away, showing the holder of this invention appliedthereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the holder and portions of thestructure to which it is attached, the holder being shownin the relativeposition assumed when the closure means is in its vclosed position,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the holder in its position assumed whenthe closure means is in its open position,

Fig. 4 isa section at 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the holder embodying a modification of thelatching mechanism, and

Fig. 6 shows a different position of the modification shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the'drawings: 1 represents a cabinet, such for example as atalking machine cabinet, having a lid 2; such cabinet and lid beingrepresentative of a structure comprising a relatively fixed member and amovable member, and in which the movable member will be referred togenerally as a closure. 3 represents a projection, such as a whichit maybe die stamped with ease. rllhe arm 4'is provided with a longitudinalslot 6 which terminates adjacent the outer end of the arm in an enlargedrecess or opening 7. This opening 7 is formed with an upwardly andoutwardly inclined wall portion lformed as a continuation of the upperwall of slot 6 and which terminates at 8 inthe form `of a pocket. Thelower wall of slot6 continues outwardly and terminates in a recess 9which serves as a seat forI engaging the stud 3. A lip 10 is providedbetween the pocket 8 ,andy seat 9 forming thereby a reentrant portionextending within the recess 7 and provided l with a downwardly inclinedinner face. The

Alatch 11 is pivotally supported within the recess 7 on the pivot 12which is carried by the extension 13. rll`he extension 13 is preferablyformed asa part of the stamping comprising the arm 4 in the mannerindicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4, which indicate the positionwhich vthis extension occupies in the flat pattern in the stamping.After the stamping is made, this part isbent up as shown in Figs. 2 and4 and the `pivot 12,

'which is formedas a part of the extension 13 is bent inwardly and lieswithin the recess 7. rllhe latch11 is provided with a tail portionextending inwardly from the end of the arm, and with a head portionextending outwardly toward the end of the arm. The head portion isprovided with a recess 14 in which the stud is' adapted to be seatedduring the locked position of the holder. The lower surface of the latch11 tapers downwardly and between its lower outward edge and .the recess14 is formed a detent 15; the. outer edge of this detent being spacedinwardly from the lip 10. The upper edge of the latch 11 projectsoutwardly near the recess 14 and is provided with a nose 16 whichextends adjacent the upper edge of the inclined face of the lip 10. Thelatch 11 is normally yieldably positionedas shown in Fig. 2, by suitablemeans such as the spring 17, so thati the nose 16 lies closely adjacentto the lip 10; and in this position of the lid 11 the extreme inwardlyextending tail of the latch lies adjacent the juncture between the slot6 and the recess 7. In this position the lower edge of the latch incombination with the upper wall of the slot 6 forms in 'effect a trackupon which the stud 3 is adapted to slide in its outward movement withrespect to the arm. Also in the maal-iii Uperatz'a.

With the various members and parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, uponraising the lid or closure 2, the arm 4 receives a combined movement tothe right and in an anticlockwise direction with respect to and aboututhe stud 3 as a pivot; thus causing the stud 3 to have a relativemovement outwardly with respect to the arm 4. As the raising of the lid2 progresses, the stud 3 slides along the upper wall of the slot 6` andalong the under side of the latch 11, the tail of which bridges theupper` portion ofthe enlarged recess 7, and passes outwardly until itreaches the yieldable restriction caused by the detent 15, and uponstriking the detent 15 the vaction of the spring 17 is overcome, therebycausing the latch 11 to'rotate in a clockwise direction and allow thestud to pass under the 4detent 15 outwardly until it reaches the. stoprecess 9, which stop positively` limits the further opening or upwardmovement of the lid 2. The lid 2 is now released, and upon such releasethe stud 3 guided into the recess 14 by the underside of the lip 10 andis prevented from retracing its outward path by mean-s of the detent 15;thereby resulting in the stud 3 being positively positioned within therecess 14 and positively held in this position by, means of the frontface of the detent 15. It will therefore 'be seen that this provides apositive locking action which results in locking the holder between thelid 2 and the stud 3 which is attached to the body 1. When it is desiredto lower or close the lid 2, the lid is given an upward or outwardmovement to further open the same, which brings the inclined inner faceof the lip 10 into engagement with the stud, thereby forcing the studupwardly along the incline 10 where it strikes the nose 16 and lifts fthe same against the action of the spring 17 and passes into the pocketat 8; and upon lowering or releasing the lid 2 the stud passesrearwardly along. the upper edge of recess 7 and downwardly until itengages the inwardly extending tail of the latch 11 which yieldsdownwardly allowing the stud to retrace its path along the slot 6inwardly. It will therefore be seen that by means of the mechanism abovedescribed and its mode of operation a positive unlocking means isfurnished. Due to the unique construction and disposition of the variousparts, the entire locking and unlocking operation is 'semi-automatic andit is entirely positive in each of its respective movements throughouteach cycle of operation; each cycle of operation comprising initiallyraising the lid to its maximum position as limited by the holder andthen re- .leasing the same to thereby lock the lid in open position,then further opening the lid at slight distance, to positively releaset-he locking mean-s, and then ,releasing or moving the lid to its closedposition. All of these movements throughout the cycle are effectedmerely by engagement with the lid itself by means of one hand and afterthe lid has initially been raised to the limit allowed by the stop itmay not again be closed without passing through the remainder of thecycle of operation as above described.

Where the holder is used in the position shown in the drawings, i. e.where the movenient of the holder is in a vertical plane, instead ofutilizing the spring 17 to normally hold the latch in open position, themodification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be utilized. In these figures asimilar construction is shown to that above described with the exceptionthat in place of the spring 17 a suitable weight 17 is placed on theouter end of the latch 11 causing it to assume its normal position byGravity.

In the embodiment herein illustrated the holder is supported in such amanner that gravity tends to rotate it in an anti-clockwise directionabout the stud 3; but an understanding of its construction and operationwill clearly show that it is entirely independent of the force ofgravity for its operation, and in this respect it differs essentiallyfrom all of the devices of this general character which have heretoforebeen utilized. A consideration of this feature will make it obvious thatthe device is adapted to be used on closures which are adapted forvertical movement or horizontal movement. It is likewise obvious thatthe holder is not restricted to its use in connection with independenthinge means, but is adapted to be used as a holder for any type ofstructure where it is desired to successively move a part of suchstructure away from and toward the cooperating structure and .to holdthe movable structure in locked position with the relatively fixedcooperating structure..

While I have described my invention according to the preferredembodiment of the same it will be obvious to those skilled in the art,after understanding my invention, that various alterations,modifications, and substitutions may be made without departing from thescope of the invention, and I aim in, the appended claims to cover allsuch modifications.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure holder comprising an arm having a stud runway terminatingat its outer end in an enlarged recess, and a latch provided with a studengaging seat and pivotally supported within said recess cooperativelyassociated therewith and yieldable about its pivot to permit the stud tobe displaced from its seat and to be giuded back along the upper wall ofthe enlarged recess to the said runway.

2. A closure holder comprising an arm having a longitudinal slot adaptedto receive a stud slidable therein and enlarged at its outer end toaccommodate a latch, a latch pivotally supported in said enlargement,said arm and latch jointly providing a track on which a stud is movabletoward the outer end .of said slot, said latch vbeing normally yieldablyheld in the path of movement of said stud in its outward movement andrigidly held in the path of movement of said stud in its inward movementto thereby space a closure attached to said arm from said stud, and areentrant projection froln said arm to release said stud from said latchupon the further outward movement of saidA closure.

3.. A closure holder, comprising an arm having a longitudinal runwayadapted for cooperative transitional engagement with a stud and providedwith a positive stop to limit the movement of said stud with respect tosaid arm and an enlarged opening forming a continuation of said runway,a pivoted latch positioned within said enlarged opening and providedwith a recess to receive said stud and so formed and positioned withrespect to said recess as to cause said stud to be projected into saidrecess upon opening the closure carrying said arm, to thereby hold theclosure in fixed open position with respect to said stud, and uponfurther opening and closing the closure to project the stud from saidrecess back to said runway.

4. A closure holder, comprising an arm having a longitudinal runwayadapted for cooperative transitional engagement with a stud and providedwith a positive stop to limit the movement of said stud with respect tosaid arm and an enlarged opening forming a continuation of said runway,a pivoted latch positioned within said enlarged opening and providedwith a recess to receive said stud and having a dependent portionnormally in the path of sai-d stud and adapted to guide said stud fromsaid stop into said recess upon initially opening and releasing theclosure carrying said holder to thereby lock said closure to its closedposition.

5. A closure holder for a structure having a movable closure and a studfixed to the body of the structure, comprising an arm adapted to bepivotally attached to the closure and provided with a longitudinal slotfor transitionally accommodating said stud and tera rigid stop againstits passage inwardly.

G. A closure holder for a structurehaving a movable member and arelatively stationary member and stud fixed to onelot said me1n bers,comprising an arm adapted to be pivotally attached t-o the other of saidmembers and provided'with a longitudinal slot for transitionallyaccommodating said stud and terminating in an enlarged end, a latchpivotally supported in said enlarged end and having a track portionalong which sai-d stud is adapted to move toward the end of said slotand terminating at Aits outer end in a detent lying adjacent the lowerside of vsaid otally supported Within said opening on said momia slot toform a yieldable restriction to the passage of said stud outwardly butproviding a rigid stop against its passage inwardly, and a release tripadjacent said detent adapted'to release said stud from said detent andpermit its passage rearwardly over said latch and back alon r said slot.e

'i'. A device of the character described', comprising an arm in the formof a sheet metal stamping .having a longitudinal slot terminatingin anenlarged opening adjacent the outer end of said arm, a lip formed as anintegral part of said stamping and extending inwardly from adjacent oneside of said opening to a point opposite the same and having an inturnedend portion, and a latch pivinturned end as a pivot. l In testimonywhereof l have signed my name to this specification.

LIONEL B. CORNWELL.'

